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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	dispose_v	spiritual_a	temporal_a	3,691	5	9.4007	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86197	A sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords, in the Abbey-Church at Westminster, Wednesday the 28. of May 1645. Being the day appointed for solemne and publick humiliation. / By Alexander Henderson, minister at Edenburgh.	Henderson, Alexander, 1583?-1646.	1645 (1645)	Wing H1443; Thomason E286_3; ESTC R200073	26,557	39

produced by another power whether of the body or of the soule as by the Understanding at the commandment of the Wll For the Will may command the Mind or Understanding quoad exercitium although not quoad specificationem The Magistrate hath actum elicitum as his proper operation about civill matters as his proper object but in spirituall things not so He may neither preach nor minister the Sacraments nor exercise discipline yet hath he actum imperatum he may and ought by his place to command Ministers to do all these duties And if he be negligent in this he sinneth against God Upon the other part the Minister may not judge civill or criminall causes nor performe the proper offices of the civill power yet as the Minister hath actum elicitum for performing of spirituall duties so hath he although not actum imperatum yet actum excitatum for exciting and in the name of Christ exhorting and charging the Civill Powers to the performance of their duty This generall use of Doctrine may be brought neerer home by the following use which is for reproof of two main errors which at this time make a great deal of trouble in the Christian world and which being once removed there might be greater peace and quietnesse in Churches and Common-wealths The one is of the most unjust tyrannous claim made by the Pope of temporall dominion over the whole world or at least to intermeddle with the affaires of Princes and Kingdomes in reference to the Church or as the Papists expresse themselves in ordine ad spiritualia For the Pope not contenting himselfe with the transcendency of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction over the whole Church though he hath no warrant for it in his boundlesse and endlesse ambition did climb yet higher and partly by the favour or foolishnesse rather of Christian Princes and partly by his own fraudulent and violent dealing as the son of him who hath been a murtherer a lier from the beginning hath set himselfe up first amongst and next over the greatest Princes and mightiest Emperours to dispose of their Crownes and Dignities at his pleasure which is the mark and character of him who is spoken of by the Apostle 2 Thess 2.4 Who sitteth in the Temple of God as God shewing himself that he is God and opposing and exalting himselfe above all that is called God As the Text sheweth that Christ was no earthly King that he left no Regal power to Peter and therefore the Pope can have no temporall power as the Vice-gerent of Christ so the supream power to dispose of Kingdomes and temporall things in reference to things spirituall and the lawfulnesse of civill dominion which the Pope claimeth by the donation of Princes are overturned by the grounds laid in the Text The Kingdome of Christ is not of this world About this point there be three things which may astonish our hearts and indeed are matters of admiration one is the wonderfull patience of God suffering that man of sin so long to rage and to be drunk with the blood of the Saints which should make us to say with the Spirit and Bride Come Lord Jesus come quickly the sins of that Sea are long since at the height Lord why tarriest thou Never since the beginning of the world was there such an example of divine patience Learned men have applied themselves to search into the causes of the so long continuance of the Sect of Mahomet and conceive that the detestation of Idolatry and of persecution of the Gospel are two principall causes thereof the contrary whereof is found in the Church of Rome which makes the patience of God so much the more admirable A second is that he who calleth himself the servant of servants doth make himself the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and yet the Kings and Lords of the earth do still give their strength and power unto the Beast and lie under his yoke drunk with the wine of his fornications nor will they yet awake after so full a discovery of that mystery of iniquity which is from the spirit of slumber in the justice of God possessing their spirits And the third is that such Kings and Kingdomes as are begun to hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked doe suffer themselves by whatsoever tentations or worldly respects to be divided or retarded in accomplishing the work And here we have just reason to lament that the work of God maketh so slow progresse in this Land And it may be unto us this day just cause of deep humiliation that our sins in former times and since the beginning of this work of Reformation are such as make obstruction unto it The Lord I confesse hath done much already especially in removing the Prelats and other members of that Popish Hierarchy who had transformed the Kingdome of Christ in this Island into a wordly Kingdom very conform unto the Pope the head of the Hierarchy In this England hath as great cause to rejoyce as any Nation under heaven because never any nation hath felt more of Popish and Prelaticall tyranny then England and that both of old and of late witnesse your own Histories There is also another error to be reproved which is upon the other hand and may be called a new Papacy the former error is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Court-parasites politicians and such other enemies to the Kingdome of Christ would introduce into the reformed Churches ascribing to the highest civill authority or to the supream Magistrate the same place in the reformed Church within his dominion that the Pope hath in the Roman Church and making him head of the Church by which the Pope is changed but not the Papacy the Dominator but not the Domination Nor is there any difference but 1. that this opinion maketh as many Popes as supream Magistrates which would cease if Caesars or Emperours as of old did rule the world 2. That it will be acknowledged that such civill Popes are subject to error which is no great difference for the chiefest Doctors in the Roman Church do admit that the Pope may erre and for this cause will have him subject to generall Councels For clearing of this great difficulty and that we may give to Caesar what is Caesars unto Christ and his Ministers what belongeth to them we are to observe these three distinctions 1. We are to distinguish times in the times before the Law the Civill and Ecclesiasticall power might be in one person as in Melchisedeck Job c. not so after the Law when the Republick and Church of Israel were once constitute and setled The Lord that maketh Summer to succeed after Winter the day after the night and youth after infancy would have it to be so The saying of the wise Physitian Vindiceanus quia ego non jussi belongeth to God in matters of this kind August Epist 5. 2. We are to distinguish between cases in extraordinary cases

Christ and so is it in the cause of Christ with the Church of Christ and every beleeving soul Fourthly as there be many things that are of this world so there be other things that be not of this world A truth which all will acknowledge in respect of this world and the world to come but it holdeth also in this present world wherein there be some things that are of it and somethings that are in it but not of it The Kingdome of Christ which hath many mysteries many parts many priviledges many lawes many subjects is of this kind The naturall man seeth no more in the world then what he conceiveth to be of the world but the spirituall man judgeth all things And what the eye of the naturall man seeth not what his eare heareth not and what his reason understandeth not because it is spirituall and cannot be discerned but spiritually that the spirituall man perceiveth and receiveth with all his heart and is no lesse assured of the infallibility thereof then of what he perceiveth by sense or reason he knoweth what he beleeveth and that he is not deceived about it But passing over all these and other the like particular doctrines which cannot at this time be prosecuted I come to the necessary uses of that main and principall doctrine intended in the Text and laid open by that which hath been spoken That Christ Jesus the Sonne of God hath a Kingdome in this world and that this Kingdome is a spirituall Kingdome and not of this world The first use shall be for Information in the point of agreement and difference betwixt Civill and Ecclesiasticall power the Kingdomes of this world and the Kingdome of Christ the Magistracie and the Ministery First both the one and the other is from God In the State there be superiors and inferiors the Lord who hath appointed in nature the tall Cedar and the low Shrub growing at the root of it the Elephant and the Mole the Eagle and the Wren the great Leviathan and the smaller Fishes hath also in policie appointed Kings Princes and Nobles to rule and governe and others of lower condition to honour and obey In the Church some to teach and rule and others to be taught and ruled by them Anabaptists I speak of such as are not novices but are acquainted with the deeps of the profession and other such masters of confusion do not distinguish betwixt the common and particular vocations of Christians betwixt a Christian equality and a Civill or Ecclesiastick inaquality All Christians having alike pretious faith in respect of their common dignity and vocation as they are Christians and are in Christ are equall amongst themselves there is neither Master nor Servant bound nor Free King nor Subject Pastor nor people but all are one in Jesus Christ but this hindereth not an inequality in Civill or Ecclesiasticall respects God who hath appointed them to be equall the one way hath also appointed an inequality equality amongst them the other way Notwithstanding this agreement betwixt the Magistracie and Ministery in respect of their Author yet is there here also some difference betwixt the one and the other for Magistracy proceedeth from God the Creator and Ruler of the world and therefore doth belong unto and is to be found amongst all sorts of people in all Nations that live in any civill society But the Ministery is the Ordinance of Christ the Mediator hath not place but in the Church of Christ Again Magistracie and Civill government in the generall is from God and is ordained of him But the particular different formes of Civill government are from men and yet all of them lawfull Whence it followeth that Civill power is not absolute but limited First by the will of God whose Minister the Magistrate is And next by such lawes and limitations as are agreed upon to be the foundation of that power It is not so with the Ministery For not onely is the Ministery in the generall the ordinance of Christ but all the speciall kinds of Ministers are appointed by him An humane creature in the State is not unlawfull but to be or appoint an humane creature in the Church is unlawfull A difference which Politickes and Church-men who love preeminence above their brethren are never enough moved to acknowledge Nor have the Ministers of Jesus Christ any limitations from men all their limitation is from Jesus Christ whose Ministers they are There is also a second thing wherein the Magistracy and the Ministery doe agree It is true indeed that the Magistrate is more about things externall which concern this present life and the Minister about things spirituall which concern the soule and life eternall yet is there nothing so Ecclesiasticall but it belongeth some way to the Magistrate he being keeper of both Tables Nor is there any thing so secular but it concerneth the Ministery in so far as secular things fall under obedience or disobedience to God For the word of God is extended to all causes all persons all conditions of life all which are to be ruled by the Word And this Word is to be expounded and must be particularly applied by the Ministery But while both are about the same things causes and persons it is in a very different way the power of the one is but Ministeriall the weapons of his warfare are spiritual not carnall but the power of the other though in respect of God whose Minister he is it be Ministeriall yet in respect of his subjects and inferiors it is Magisteriall and hath authority to compell and coerce The Magistrate may not go to the Pulpit to preach or minister the Sacraments nor may he as he is a Magistrate exercise Ecclesiasticall discipline but ought by his authority to command all these necessary duties to be done And the Minister may not ascend to the Tribunall to judge civill or criminall causes yet ought he to teach and in the Name of God exhort that justice be done to all by which every one may have that which is due unto him We may say with Bernard that the Church hath two Swords the Spirituall and the Temporall but in a different sort the use of the spirituall and the benefit of the temporall We may also say that the Civill power hath two swords the Temporall and the Spirituall but in a different manner the use of the temporall and the benefit of the spirituall When these two Swords are put in good hands and wisely managed it goeth well both with Church and State with Truth and Peace with Religion and Righteousnes The Magistracy and the Ministery are not unfitly compared to the two principall faculties of the soule of man the Will and the Understanding man being as well a Republick as a little world the will of man hath two acts one which is her proper and essentiall operation it is called actus elicitus as to will to nill or to suspend the other is called actus imperatus

added in the administration of the Kingdome of Christ after his ascension into heaven both at the first planting of the Gospel in the primitive times and in the time of reformation of Religion in divers Kingdomes and Nations And therefore as naturall sense correcteth the errors of our imagination and maketh us see the folly of our fancies and as naturall reason correcteth the errors of our sense and maketh us judge otherwise then our sense teacheth so must the divine power and superior faculty of faith correct the errors of our naturall reason If we will acquaint our selves with the secrets of the Gospel and with the proceedings of the Kingdome of Christ we begin no sooner seriously to think upon them but we seem to our selves to be transported and carried to another world and are constrained to acknowledge and confesse to the glory of God that flesh and blood doth not reveale these things unto us The second duty required of us is this When the Lord hath opened the eyes of our understanding to behold somwhat of the secrets of this spiritual Kingdome we are to draw neere to joyn our selves unto it and become the subjects of Jesus Christ To which purpose it is necessary to expresse the matter briefly that we first know our estate by nature all of us by nature being subjects yea slaves to the Kingdome of Sin and Satan no man is excepted Kings Princes Nobles as base slaves this way as any other although walking in gold chains Next that we acknowledge Christ to be King and Lord of his people putting our confidence in him as having all sufficiencie for life liberty salvation and every good thing yea endevouring to feele the Kingdome of God within us and his Scepter set up in our souls formerly tyranized over by strange Lords And thirdly that we make a resignation of our selves in all humility and obedience to do his will for it is the quality of his subjects to be a willing people or a people of willingnesse Psal 110.3 If every one of us had many wills we ought of sacrifice them all and turn each one of them in a willingnesse to serve him According to this is it that his people are called Amminadib or my willing people Cant. 6.12 The word used to expresse willingnesse signifeth Generosity or Noblenesse opposed to Churlishnesse Isa 32.5 The vile person shall be no more called liberall nor the churlish said to be bountifull Nabal shal not be called Nadib The true subjects of Christ were they never so meanly born although like the wretched infant described Ezek. 16. yet being born again they deal nobly with him but others whatsoever be their extraction and were they never so nobly descended they deal but churlishly with Christ A noble man that giveth not himselfe willingly and cordially to the Son of God accounteth it not his chiefest honor to be a subject of his Kingdom in Scripture language is not a Nobleman but a Nabal a Churle and surely to deal churlishly with Christ who hath been so benigne and bountifull unto us and is so worthy to be served is the most base churlishnesse and the greatest churlishnesse in the world If we would consider what we are without him what we may be through him and that there is a necessity either to be the slaves of sin or to become the subjects of Christ yea either to be his free subjects or his bound-slaves and captives we would willingly offer our selves in this day of his power The third duty is when we are acquainted with the nature and secrets of the Kingdome of Christ and are now become his willing subjects then to be zealous in using all good means each one according to his place for advancing and establishing the kingdom of Christ A point very necessary to be considered because as Herod and all Jerusalem with him were troubled when they heard that the King of the Jewes was born So are great ones that are in authority and the multitude of the people much troubled when they heare of the Kingdome of Christ Kings and great ones because they conceive the advancing of Christs Kingdome to be a diminution of their greatnesse and power wherein they bewray both their ignorance and ingratitude ignorance of the nature of his kingdome which is spirituall not only in the internall but externall part of it He that would establish a spirituall Kingdom doth not take away but on the contrary doth both confirm and sanctifie the temporall Kingdome wherein it is established The Son of God never imposed such a hard condition to Kings and Nobles that were to become Christians as to forsake their crowns and dignities except in their affection and in comparison of the excellency of the Kingdome of Christ Ingratitude not only because by him Kings reigne but Jesus Christ having proclaimed a Jubilee a great liberty to Kings Kingdomes from the tyranny the servitude the usurpations and impositions of the Pope This is all the thanks that they return that they either put away the Gospel from themselves and their Kingdomes or will receive but so much of it as they think meet which is rather to reigne over Christ then that Christ by his Scepter reigne over them As for the multitude of the people they have no desire to heare of the setting up of the Kingdome of Christ because they are afraid of poverty and other such miseries as may be brought upon them by innovations measuring all by their worldly gain and ease and considering no other wayes of changes but as they import some earthy benefit to their own privat So was Jerusalem troubled when Christ was born so were the Gadarens when he came into their countrey It cannot be denied but the Lord hath done a great work in this land yet there be many of all ranks that wish it had never been begun by reason of the trouble and losses they have sustained not considering nor knowing that a little of God and of Christ and of his Spirit and of the Word and of the Ordinances is much more then the greatest things of the world and that it is better to suffer with the people of God and for God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season When things are equally ballanced the worst things of Christ that is his crosse and sufferings is better then the best things of the world Upon the contrary therefore I shall desire these seven things about the Kingdome of Christ and the matter of religion may be diligently taken heed unto 1. Take heed of selfe respects these are of two sorts one is privat when men look so much to themselves that they forget the publick or if they look to the publick and seem to be zealous about it it is alwayes with reflection upon their own privat were the circumference never so wide themselves are the center and all the lines of their actions have their concentration there Privat spirits are evill spirits whether they